It was hard to believe that the day had finally arrived.  My Olympic experience was going to begin. The hockey game I was scheduled to attend started at 9 p.m., but I had already decided to spend the entire day in downtown Vancouver soaking in the atmosphere.

The first challenge was transportation.  Everything I read or heard about visiting Vancouver during the 16 days of the Olympics was to take public transportation.  So, at about 10:30 a.m. my cousin dropped me off (city maps in hand) at the Braid Avenue SkyTrain station.  The SkyTrain is a brand new, easy to use, efficient, inexpensive light rail system.  In 20 minutes I disembarked at the Stadium-Chinatown station.... Read More

I hate to be redundant, but Friday was ANOTHER beautiful day in Seattle.  One of the locals I spoke to said "don't think about moving here . . . it's not usually like this in the winter."  Temps were in the mid 50s and the sun was shining brightly. It was take off to Vancouver day, but I had a couple of last minute things on my list that I hoped to enjoy before leaving Seattle. 
 
A friend recommended the Underground Tour.  I initially thought it meant it was something not mainstream or not in the open.  And essentially this was... Read More

Sometimes the highlights of a vacation happen by accident, and that’s how we discovered the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta.

We’d planned a week-long stay in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, complete with a side trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park in Patricia. I’d made reservations for the bus tour a month in advance. The Red Deer River Valley is home to one of the richest fossil beds in the world, and we wanted to see how the Canadian Badlands stacked... Read More

This winter, why not bundle up the family and make a run for the border, eh? The northern border, that is—to the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls, Canada. My family and I visited the festival for the first time just after Christmas last year. The annual event, which begins in early November and runs into early January, is Canada's largest holiday lights festival.

A three-mile stretch of the Niagara Parkway is transformed into a twinkling wonderland each winter between Dufferin Islands and the Whirlpool Bridge... Read More

Every traveler collects them, their personal souvenirs. Those unique travel tales, perfect for an impromptu dinner party when one needs to be simultaneously charming and entertaining. As an inspector for AAA, I have had plenty of opportunities for that storied moment. And the anticipation for that moment, when you think to yourself ‘This is going to make a great story,’ is almost as fun as the experience itself.

So here is one of my favorite travel tales. I’ve shared it with family and friends, fellow inspectors and now with you:

After a 12-hour drive through the wilderness and a quick propeller... Read More

Question: Patricia R. asks:  We are taking a cruise from Vancouver and have some time before our departure.  Do you recomend the trolley?  We don’t have enough time to get to Butchart Gardens in Victoria but there seems to be a few gardens in Vancouver to enjoy.  We can walk to Stanley Park from our hotel.  Any neat ideas or tips?

Answer:   Candy Christman, AAA Publishing manager, says:  I’m always a fan of hop-on/hop-off trolley tours.  It’s a quick way to get a feel for a destination when you... Read More

Question:  Bernie Campbell asks:  We are going to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and would like to know the best place to stop overnight and see the Bay of Fundy.  What are your recommendations for accommodations and good dining?

Answer:  Kyla Prince, travel planner at the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia CAA office says:  I suggest that you stay anywhere between Digby, Nova Scotia and Wolfville, Nova Scotia.  Here is a Read More

Question: David S. asks: We are planning a trip to Alberta Canada and visiting the Canadian Rockies this August; anything you can tell us about the Rockies would be most helpful. Also I believe there is an overnite train w/a glass top.

Answer: AAA travel publishing manager Renuka Sastri, who took this trip last summer, says: August is a wonderful time of the year to visit the Canadian Rockies area. There are a number of options that you could follow:

The no-drive option: Take a tour - The Rocky Mountaineer, the train with the glass dome top... Read More

Question: Larry Carrier asks:  We have a travel van and AAA insurance.  We plan to leave Ottawa, KS June 21 and have 5 days to get to Seattle, WA.  We will take a week long cruise and then have 2 weeks before returning to Ottawa.  We want to take in as much beautiful scenery as possible and explore Canada from Vancouver to Glacier National Park on the way home.  Can you help us with a marked map?

Answer: Danny Nanavaty, travel planner at the CAA office in Burnaby, British Columbia says:  If your cruise returns to Seattle, take I-5 north... Read More

Question:  Sally Sholly asks: Do you have any tips for traveling in Canada? Montreal in particular, but all information will be helpful. I'm a little worried about the language barrier too.

Answer:  AAA's Inspector 40, who approves and rates lodgings and restaurants in Canada, answers: Travel with Canadian currency for all your cash transactions, or you may not get the a fair exchange rate exchange rate.  Or use your credit card. It is always best to exchange money at a bank rather than an exchange... Read More